Urban Land Institute – Global Awards for Excellence
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ULI Awards for Excellence recognize the full development process of a project, not just its architecture or design—although these elements play an important role in the overall project. Each award is presented to the development project. Nominations are open to all, not just ULI members. Juries of ULI full members, chaired by trustees, choose finalists and winners. The broad geographic diversity of jury members represent many fields of real estate development expertise, including finance, land planning, development, public affairs, design, and other professional services.
ULI began the Awards for Excellence program in 1979 with the objective of recognizing truly superior development efforts. The criteria for the awards include factors that go beyond good design, including leadership, contribution to the community, innovations, public/private partnership, environmental protection and enhancement, response to societal needs, and financial success. Winning projects represent the highest standards of achievement in the development industry—standards that ULI members deem worthy of attainment in their professional endeavors. All types of projects have been recognized for their excellence, including office, residential, recreational, urban/mixed use, industrial/office park, commercial/retail, new community, rehabilitation, public, and heritage projects, as well as programs and projects that do not fit into any of these product categories. Since 2012, the ULI Global Awards for Excellence have honored development projects from around the globe in a single competition, rather than separate winners by region.
The international competition is overseen by a jury composed of ULI members from around the world who are recognized leaders in their fields. In its 36th year, the ULI Awards program is the centerpiece of the Institute’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. Finalists and winners are celebrated at awards ceremonies held in conjunction with the ULI Fall Meeting. Each winner receives a jewel-quality cube trophy, engraved with the jury’s official statement about the winning project. Further recognition of winners and finalists includes case studies in ULI publications, as well as press releases and announcements in Urban Land magazine and on the Institute’s website.